FAITH: Meet the aggressive Jesus

The first written of the four gospel stories is Mark. In Mark there is no report of a miraculous birth. No Bethlehem. No stable. No Shepherds, No Wise Men. No animals. No miraculous star moving across the sky. No choir of angels singing. Mark jumps right to the heart of the Jesus story. According to the Mark version of the life of Jesus, John the Baptizer called for people to repent in order to receive their new leader. John baptized Jesus and the story is off and running.

Mark reports the first recorded words of Jesus from Nazareth. “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the good news.” Christians in general have not grasped the radical nature of his declaration. When Jesus is placed in context, the statement was a call for the demise of the power of the Roman Empire and a change of administration at the Temple in Jerusalem. Old Testament law called for radical redistribution of wealth and power every 50 years. The law was in the books but never practiced. Incredibly, Jesus, a peasant without any wealth or power standing, called for the Year of Jubilee to actually happen. It was the beginning of Jesus’ three year confrontation of the wealthy and the powerful.

I remind every reader that Jesus was put to death by Roman officials on the charge of insurrection. Priests and other Temple leaders despised him. In contrast, over the past 2000 years, Christians have become cooperators and henchmen with the wealthy and the powerful. There have been notable exceptions. Saint Francis, Cervantes, Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope Francis come quickly to mind. However, typical Christian pastors, priests, Bishops and leaders have shied away from the radical, aggressive lead of Jesus from Nazareth. The heart of Christian practice has become the practice of rituals such as communion and baptism.

Jesus did not give up on this world. He obviously believed it could be a better place if justice were practiced. Jesus taught that the kingdom of God could be a reality in the here and now. The stories he told and the lessons he gave bear this out. The good Samaritan and the welcoming father were very much this world stories. His stories about absentee land owners and their retainers were economic commentary about rural life in Galilee. His story about the day laborers was about the plight of impoverished farm workers.

Those of us who claim the name of Christ have not done a good job of translating Jesus’ concerns into the 21st century. When Jesus took on justice issues in the real world, he did not hesitate to take on the big names of the game. He did not back away from the kings, the high priests, the powerful and the rich. Eloquently, he spoke truth to power. So also should we.

I begin with the president of the United States, Donald Trump and his call for greatness. He ran for the presidency on the theme “Make America great again.” Trump never once has explained what he means by great. Further, he has not shared with us just when we were great in the past and what America did to earn that description. However, Mr. Trump’s idea of greatness is apparent in his speeches and twitters. For our president greatness is being equated with military power and economic dominance. Unfortunately many Americans agree with the president. Dwight Eisenhower was a personal favorite president. He led us in time of war and we twice elected him president of our nation. While the origin of the quote is questioned, I trace the following quote to Eisenhower. “America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good, it will cease to be great.” President Ronald Reagan also used the quote as did President Bill Clinton. This quote harmonizes well with the words of Jesus. “If any among you would be great, let him be a servant of all.” Jesus was an aggressive spokesperson for the kingdom of God on earth. So also should we. Christians should not allow greatness to be equated with power and wealth! Our response should be gracious but unequivocal.

Additionally Christians advocate and work for justice. Our voice is needed as the nation deals with issues of immigration, refugees, homelessness, hunger, health care, education and prison reform. Christianity is a justice faith. Christians come with a particular understanding of justice. Anyone who has made a serious study of justice in the Bible, New Testament and Old, knows that justice does not mean punishment to fit a wrong doing. Jesus clearly stated that he wanted no part of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” The Israelite/Christian Faith seeks healing and wholeness, not judgment and punishment. In Christian theology grace and justice are inseparable companions. Justice is never achieved until all are made whole. Grace needs to be allowed to do its miracle.

Justice is the Christian’s passion and witness. It is our vocation. It is our work in the world. Our nation and the world needs to hear our witness and to see us in action.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.